| CPC A61G 13/1245 (2013.01) [A61G 13/0081 (2016.11); A61G 2203/10 (2013.01); A61G 2203/32 (2013.01); A61G 2203/42 (2013.01)] | 21 Claims |
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1. A patient limb positioning apparatus comprising:
a coupling bracket detachably engageable with the patient's limb; and
a movement assembly operating on the coupling bracket to move the coupling bracket according to a plurality of axes of movement;
wherein the movement assembly comprises, for at least one of said axes of movement:
a drive unit activatable to move the coupling bracket according to a predetermined direction of movement;
a load transducer configured to detect a load transmitted between the coupling bracket and the drive unit in the respective direction of movement, and to emit a signal representative of a detected load value;
a position transducer configured to measure the position of the coupling bracket with respect to the drive unit in the respective direction of movement, and to emit a signal representative of a detected position; and
an electronic control unit operationally connected with said drive unit, said position transducer, and said load transducer;
wherein the electronic control unit is selectively switchable between a load control command mode and a position control command mode,
wherein, in the load control command mode, the electronic control unit is configured to compare the detected load value with a pre-set load value and to command activation of the drive unit when the detected load value differs from the pre-set load value, and
wherein, in the position control command mode, the electronic control unit is configured to store a pre-set position of the coupling bracket with respect to the drive unit in the respective direction of movement and to control activation of the drive unit when the detected position differs from the pre-set position.
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